Artest Leads All-Defensive Team Voting

NBA News ReleaseNew York, April 26, 2004
Indiana Pacers’ forward Ron Artest, recently
named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, led the voting for the 2003-04
NBA All-Defensive Teams, which were announced by the NBA today.

Artest

Artest, who made his first career appearance on the All-Defensive
First Team and second consecutive on the NBA’s All-Defensive Team, is
joined on the First Team by the two-time Defensive Player of the Year Ben
Wallace of the Detroit Pistons, who was named All-Defensive First Team for
the third consecutive season; San Antonio Spurs’ guard Bruce Bowen, a
four-time All-Defensive Team member; Minnesota Timberwolves’ forward Kevin
Garnett, who was named All-Defensive First Team for the fifth consecutive
season and Los Angeles Lakers’ guard Kobe Bryant, who made the First Team
for the third time.

Artest finished the 2003-04 regular season ranked third in the league
in steals (2.08 spg) and successfully held his defensive assignments,
including some of the league’s top players, to 8.1 points per game on 9.3
shots per game and .426 shooting. Wallace finished the season ranked second
in the league in rebounds (12.4 rpg) and blocks (3.04 bpg) and seventh in
steals (1.77 spg), while becoming the first player in NBA history to have
four 1,000-rebound, 100-block, 100-steal seasons (2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03
and 2003-04).

Bowen averaged 1.02 spg, second best on the Spurs and a career-high
3.10 rpg. Garnett led the league in rebounds, averaging a career-high 13.9
rpg and was 11th in blocks (2.17 bpg). Bryant led the Lakers in steals
(1.72 spg), the second-best per game average of his career.

Kirilenko earned his first selection to the NBA’s All-Defensive Team,
while Ratliff earned his second All-Defensive Team selection. Christie
earned his fourth All-Defensive Team honor, while Duncan and Kidd each
earned their sixth All-Defensive Team selections.

The voting panel consisted of the NBA’s 29 head coaches, who were
asked to select NBA All-Defensive First and Second Teams by position.
Coaches were not permitted to vote for players from their own team. Two
points were awarded for a First Team vote, and one point was awarded for a
Second Team vote.